Anyone like German food?

duchess15

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Originally Posted by jcat

I'm glad you clarified that, Fran. Germans find it hysterical that they're referred to as "Krauts", because they really don't eat much in the way of sauerkraut. IME, Americans and the French eat far more.

There are lots of different kinds of sausages here, some quite good, and others a bit disgusting, like "Blutwurst". What's to die for is the bread here. There are so many different varieties of breads and rolls (and soft pretzels, of course). People who visit Germany really rave about the bread, and those who live here really miss it when they're abroad.

German cuisine is very big on salads, egg noodles, and dumplings of many varieties, but pancakes really aren't a regular part of the diet. Schnitzel (cutlets) are, but the same is true of Austria, and former Austrian territories, like Hungary and the Czech Republic.
They do have german pancakes which are very thin and large and are more like the french crepes. However, these you will not find in restaurants or not often. You find this more in a home setting. Breakfast over there is totally different from over here. They seldom have cereal to buy because their main breakfast consists of sliced bread or broetchen and maybe boiled eggs. The traditional pancakes that is actually a meal are the potato pancakes which you eat with applesauce.
 

jcat

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Originally Posted by Duchess15

They do have German pancakes which are very thin and large and are more like the French crepes. The traditional pancakes that is actually a meal are the potato pancakes which you eat with applesauce.
The thin ones are definitely French crepes, and are offered as such here, and potato pancakes are more of a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe (I'm originally from PA, and very familiar with Lancaster County cuisine, and have spent more than half my life in southern Germany, so I think I do know what I'm talking about). A big "pancake" specialty here is ""Kaiserschmarrn", which is a cross between an omelet and a pancake, and sweet, as it contains raisins and powdered sugar. It's often passed off as a "German" dish in the U.S., but it's Austrian.
 

duchess15

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Originally Posted by jcat

The thin ones are definitely French crepes, and are offered as such here, and potato pancakes are more of a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe (I'm originally from PA, and very familiar with Lancaster County cuisine, and have spent more than half my life in southern Germany, so I think I do know what I'm talking about). A big "pancake" specialty here is ""Kaiserschmarrn", which is a cross between an omelet and a pancake, and sweet, as it contains raisins and powdered sugar. It's often passed off as a "German" dish in the U.S., but it's Austrian.
I did not mean any offense in any way. Many dishes can vary from one region to the next in Germany. I was only referring to the region my family is from.
 

kiwideus

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I love bratwurst but I don't care much for schnitzel.

As for sauerkraut, I HATE the stuff. I hate the smell of it as well.
 

duchess15

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Originally Posted by Kiwideus

I love bratwurst but I don't care much for schnitzel.

As for sauerkraut, I HATE the stuff. I hate the smell of it as well.
I know the feeling!
A friend of mine always tells me I'm not a real German since I don't like sauerkraut, but I always ask him "what does that make my cousin?"...he doesn't like any kind of german gravy!!
 

kiwideus

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Originally Posted by Duchess15

I know the feeling!
A friend of mine always tells me I'm not a real German since I don't like sauerkraut, but I always ask him "what does that make my cousin?"...he doesn't like any kind of german gravy!!
Whats worse is that they are always making it in the microbiology lab for some of the students because of the microbes involved in making it. It is not pleasant when you are trying to study!
 

miagi's_mommy

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does german chocolate cake count?
that's all I have had and love the frosting!
I do love ethnic foods though especially Chinese.
 

duchess15

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Originally Posted by Kiwideus

Whats worse is that they are always making it in the microbiology lab for some of the students because of the microbes involved in making it. It is not pleasant when you are trying to study!
The smell kills me also. I just make faces at my mom when she makes it.

Originally Posted by Miagi's_Mommy

does german chocolate cake count?
that's all I have had and love the frosting!
I do love ethnic foods though especially Chinese.
It does, but if you are referring to the one with the coconut frosting, it's not the real german chocolate cake. I didn't know this until my mom told me it wasn't authentic!
 

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I've had German food once; it was good, but really heavy on the meat and fat for my taste! Wonder what the average cholesterol count is for Germans?


My Dad's Mom was from the Black Forest; but sadly, Grossmutti died when I was about 4, so I never sampled any of her cooking, to my knowledge. Dad said she was a great cook. In WWII, he got to sample lots of authentic German farmhouse cooking, and said it was amazing.

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margecat

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Originally Posted by Kiwideus

Whats worse is that they are always making it in the microbiology lab for some of the students because of the microbes involved in making it. It is not pleasant when you are trying to study!
I hate the smell of it! Dad used to make it a lot when I was a kid. He also made this weird hard-boiled egg in beet juice, with rings of raw onion, all marinating in the fridge. I think it was a German dish. God, it looked DISGUSTING when you opened the fridge door, especially in the middle of the night!

MargeCat
 

pookie-poo

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Originally Posted by Kiwideus

I love bratwurst but I don't care much for schnitzel.

As for sauerkraut, I HATE the stuff. I hate the smell of it as well.
My mother cooks polish sausage and sauerkraut for dinner every now and then. OMG! Just the smell makes me nauseaus. If I can smell it when I get out of my car at their house, I'll just get right back into my car and go home. I also can't stand ruben sandwich day in the cafeteria for the same reason. I just can't get past the smell!!!
 

lookingglass

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I've never encountered an ethnic food I didn't like.


My husband's family is German and Polish so when they have holidays it's a mix of the two. Normally someone has to roll me out the door!
 
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alleygirl

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Originally Posted by jcat

You sure can! We've got a spare bedroom, and have the "castle/cathedral tour" down pat. Jamie isn't too friendly with visitors, though, as Fran (fwan) can attest.
I'll be right over! I'll bring lots of treats to distract kitty


Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

My mother cooks polish sausage and sauerkraut for dinner every now and then. OMG! Just the smell makes me nauseaus. If I can smell it when I get out of my car at their house, I'll just get right back into my car and go home. I also can't stand ruben sandwich day in the cafeteria for the same reason. I just can't get past the smell!!!
Oh that sounds YUMMY!


To clarify - the "pancake" we had was a potato pancake. Similar to american "hash brown patty" but there was definitely flour or something added to make it fluffy instead of just potato and something else, onions maybe? There isn't anywhere here that serves German breakfast so no idea what kind of stuff they might have.
 

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My first job out of college was waitressing at a german restaurant, I learned a real appreciation for some dishes...yummy! I especially like beef rouladen, and jaeger schnitzel.
 

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Originally Posted by Duchess15

I did not mean any offense in any way. Many dishes can vary from one region to the next in Germany. I was only referring to the region my family is from.
Do they have "Flädlesuppe" there? That's something I've found a bit weird. They make thin pancakes, cut them into strips, and serve them in beef broth.

Originally Posted by Duchess15

It does, but if you are referring to the one with the coconut frosting, it's not the real german chocolate cake. I didn't know this until my mom told me it wasn't authentic!
Actually, they don't use too much in the way of frosting here. Whipped cream, a glaze, or even Nutella are more usual, so your mom is right. I think a lot of people think of Black Forest Cake as the "real" German chocolate cake here.

Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

To clarify - the "pancake" we had was a potato pancake. Similar to american "hash brown patty" but there was definitely flour or something added to make it fluffy instead of just potato and something else, onions maybe? There isn't anywhere here that serves German breakfast so no idea what kind of stuff they might have.
That's what's referred to as "Rösti" in this area, as the Swiss expression is used in the Southwest, and "Kartoffelpuffer" elsewhere. Usually grated potatoes, an egg, flour, onions, and sometimes bits of ham or bacon, and served at lunch or dinner, rather than for breakfast.
 

luvslive

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great discussion. I am a "German from Russia" and have eaten all kinds of great German-Russian cuisine. My family lives in the "Sauerkraut Capital of the World", my hometown Wishek, North Dakota. Once a year, in October, people come from far and wide to eat sauerkraut and wieners..go figure!
I also enjoy:
Kuchen - custard like pie that can be filled with prunes, cream cheese, etc
Pan-Kuchen - kinda like frybread..
dumplings - nice and fluffy, best served with creamed chicken
streudels - I like these slightly fluffy with gravy
halva - is this a german thing? has anyone else had this? it's a small brick of something tasty and sweet..
knephla soup
Some weird food items that I do not like and may or may not be German in origin are: tiger meat (raw meat with STRONG spices), and blood sausage.
I am trying to remember the name of a hamburger dish where the hamburger is wrapped up in fried dough..I will post if I remember..
 

duchess15

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Originally Posted by jcat

Do they have "Flädlesuppe" there? That's something I've found a bit weird. They make thin pancakes, cut them into strips, and serve them in beef broth.


Actually, they don't use too much in the way of frosting here. Whipped cream, a glaze, or even Nutella are more usual, so your mom is right. I think a lot of people think of Black Forest Cake as the "real" German chocolate cake here.

That's what's referred to as "Rösti" in this area, as the Swiss expression is used in the Southwest, and "Kartoffelpuffer" elsewhere. Usually grated potatoes, an egg, flour, onions, and sometimes bits of ham or bacon, and served at lunch or dinner, rather than for breakfast.
I've heard Flaedlesuppe, but not something our family makes or ever heard them mention. I'm not sure where that might be served. You are correct about the frosting. Frosting over here is way too sweet and full of sugar. I can't really eat much of it.
The bakeries are always full of different pasteries and cakes. Their whipped cream is very light, and can you hardly taste any sugar. They also use a lot of different fruit in their cake or even poppyseed in "Mohnkuchen" which is poppy seed cake and one of my favorites!

In addition to types of pancakes, I just recalled a few dishes that our family does make. There are two types that I know of, but I'm sure there many others out there. The first one is Eierpfannkuchen. Basically it is an egg pancake. Just take about 5-6 eggs mix them together like you would an omelette and fry it on both sides. We add sliced ham into it chopped up into squares. We normally eat this on german bread with butter.
Another one is called Bauernfruehstueck. Which means farmer's breakfast. It's very similar to the egg pancake. The only addition is adding sliced cooked potatoes to it and frying on both sides. Served the same way as the other one above.
Kartoffelpuffer are what I am used to eating. A lot of the times we just get the Panni pack and make them that way.
In the stores over here, there is a company that makes a boxed cake mix called german chocolate cake which comes with the coconut frosting and this is what many people think is german chocolate cake, but it's not.
 

rapunzel47

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I love just about any food, will try anything, and at least like most of it. German food is wonderful. It can be heavy, but heavy is not necessarily bad, but a matter of what you feel like eating at any given time.

Originally Posted by Sadie's Mom

I love spaetzle!
So do I. So. Do. I.
Tricia -- thanks for putting the Spaetzle recipe in Cattitude. The beating is a killer, but eventually I'll get my arm used to it. Rob loves 'em too.
 
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